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Details of Grant
 
EPSRC Reference: EP/D040191/1
Title: clique-width
Principal Investigator: Dr H Muller
Other Investigators:
Researcher Co-investigator:
Project Partner:
Department: Sch of Computing
Organisation: University of Leeds
Scheme: Standard Research
Starts: 01 February 2007 Ends: 31 July 2010 Value (£): 98,147
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:
Fundamentals of Computing Logic and Combinatorics
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:
Information Technologies
Related Grants:
Panel History:
Panel DatePanel NameOutcome
09 Nov 2005 Computer Science (Tech) November 2005 Announced
Summary
Graphs are used as models in various applications ranging from supply

networks to interaction between human beings. These applications

require algorithms processing graphs. Usually the input of an

algorithm is given as a list of vertices (branching points of the

network, persons, or objects) and a list of edges (connections or

relations between vertices). Lots of practically important or

theoretically interesting problems on graphs are intractable if the

graph is given this way, but become tractable if instead a

construction manual is provided. Such a manual describes basic

building blocks and simple operations to combine components.

The parameter clique-width measures the complexity of such a

construction manual in the following way. Our basic block is a graph

consisting of one vertex and no edges. The vertex has a colour. The

operations are disjoint union (set one graph aside another one without

creating any new edges), recolouring of vertices (for example: all

blue vertices become green), and inserting edges (for example: connect

each red vertex to each yellow one). The complexity is the number of

different colours used. A construction plan involving k colours is

called k-expression. For each graph G, the minimum k such that a

k-expression for G exists is called cwd(G).

Finding a cwd(G)-expression for a given graph G is itself an

algorithmic problem. Unfortunately very little is known about it:

* We know the graphs that are constructible using only one colour.

These are the graphs without edges.

* Two colours suffice if and only if

the graph does not contain a path on 4 vertices.

* There is an efficient algorithm deciding whether one can

construct a graph using at most 3 colours.

This project will extend this knowledge. We consider graphs in special

classes. These classes are restricted to enforce an easy structure of

the graphs within, but are rich enough to allow graphs of arbitrary

clique-width. Our goal is an efficient algorithm computing a

cwd(G)-expression for each graph G in the special class.

It is not known whether such an algorithm exists. In case we cannot

design an efficient algorithm we will provide some evidence that the

desired algorithm does not exist.

Final Report Summary
No final report summary is available for this grant.
Further Information:  
Organisation Website: http://www.leeds.ac.uk
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